


Reunion

by Talinor



Series: Respite, Rapture, and the bridge works between [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Black Paladin Keith (Voltron), Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, good cavities, these two are so sappy ya'll, writing them gives me cavities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-27 17:07:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15029243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talinor/pseuds/Talinor
Summary: Lotor takes Keith to a space mall.New things are learned along the way.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hooo boy! Here's the very first respite bridge!  
> this was originally going to be a oneshot, but what I had planned for this ended up being too long to cram into one chapter, so this one will have two (or maybe even three)!  
> hope you guys like it!!

"Lotor, you can't be serious." 

"Oh, I assure you, ma vhen," Lotor told him with a grin and soft twinkle in his eye. "I am _entirely_ serious about this." Keith opened his mouth to try and protest against it, but Lotor simply put his finger on Keith's lips. "Before you ask, I have already informed Allura and the others about the trip, and they're fine with it. We have nothing else to do for the rest of the day, so I might as well take the opportunity to treat my lovely ga wáran to some alone time together."

It was a sweet sentiment, but it would take more than a few honey-sweet words from even Lotor to convince him into this. He wasn't outright opposed against it, he just... didn't really see the point in the proposed trip. It didn't seem necessary.

"Why do you want to take me to the mall, anyway?" Keith asked, gingerly moving Lotor's finger from his lips to do so. He still held onto the hand as he spoke. "It's a nice place to be alone together, but we can do that at the Castle. Why go somewhere else for that?"

Lotor chuckled at the sentiment and leaned against the wall leading to the Altean ship bay. He eyed Keith's current outfit slowly, deliberately. Keith stayed as he was, but some part of him internally basked at the attention like a cat bathing in sunlight. Lotor's fingers moved to intertwine with his.

Finally, he spoke. "My glittering patch of stardust," he said softly, moving closer to Keith. His atmospheric presence pulled Keith in, almost as two galaxies slowly met in the middle. Soon enough they were chest to chest in their own infinitesimal pocket of the universe. Lotor used his other hand to gently lift Keith's chin up. "How many completely different outfits do you have? Not counting your Paladin armor, of course."

Keith hesitated to answer. Something told him what point Lotor may be building up to. "...One." The outfit he was wearing when he left Earth. The outfit he was wearing right now.

"Exactly," Lotor said. "I wish to change that."

"I appreciate that," Keith told him. "I really do, but... I don't need more clothes. I'm fine with what I have."

Lotor looked down upon him fondly. "I know you are," he said. "You're quite the trooper, used to just accepting what you have and expecting nothing more. It's an admirable trait." His expression softened. "...But I don't wish for you to feel that way with me. You don't have to go if you truly don't want to, but I do ask something of you," he raised the hand holding Keith's up, moving it until Keith's hand was on top. He pressed a soft kiss to the knuckles before he spoke again. "Please, allow me to treat you as sublimely as you deserve. If not today, then some time in the future."

Keith mulled it over in his head. It was a very sweet reason, and he did certainly feel moved by it. But something still felt... off about the situation. Nothing having to do with Lotor, but something potentially grave enough to make him want to stay on the Castle of Lions until they all had more information about it. If something happened and he wasn't there to help...

"You're worrying about it again," Lotor brought him out of the cesspool swirling in his mind with just a few words. He was good at that. He was quickly getting better than almost anyone else at doing so. "Aren't you?"

Keith nodded. There was no real point in trying to deny it. "Yeah," he said with a sigh and deflation of his body's intensity. "I just... I can't _help it,_ Lotor. I want to go, I really do, but--"

"...But you're worried about what will happen if you leave the Castle," Lotor finished for him. "Whether it will try to wreak havoc again."

He nodded in confirmation grimly. "Exactly. If something happens, and I'm not here to help stop it..." He let out a bitter chuckle. "Or, even worse, if it took one of the others while I was gone... You know what it can do. I wouldn't forgive myself if that happened to my team." He sighed, leaning against Lotor. Threatening tears stung his eyes. "My _family._ I don't... I don't want to lose them." he admitted quietly.

Unsurprisingly, his boyfriend was just the right support he needed. He was silent as Keith spoke. He didn't hesitate to hold Keith close and tight against him, allowing him close enough to hear his heartbeat. For a few moments, the soft and simple melody was all that filled the silence around them. It did wonders to soothe Keith. It was comforting, hearing the private rhythm of Lotor's life. 

He noted absentmindedly that it synched up with his own heartbeat perfectly.

"I understand," Lotor whispered, burying his unoccupied hand in Keith's hair. He knew the patterns to lightly scratch into his scalp to drain all the tension from his body. He did so, and it worked as perfectly as it had before. "I feel the same way about my friends. If I had been met with the same situation you face now while I lived with them, I wouldn't want to leave them for a moment."

Keith sensed there was a 'but' coming along with this sometime soon.

"...But I imagine Suo has not told you what they managed to find out about it yet." Keith immediately perked up out of both interest and confusion at that. He knew he was right, but the little mental victory was quickly swept aside in his mind. He had to make room for this apparent new information.

Lotor chuckled, likely knowing exactly what Keith's movement meant. "So that's a yes," he said. "Very well. I shall tell you, and I believe it will ease your mind... in some aspects." Keith wondered what that meant, but he stayed silent. He wanted to hear what Lotor had to say. "It is difficult to study safely, but Suo has noticed something in studying it in its containment- it has _preferences."_

He moved far enough away to show Lotor his confused expression. "What do you mean, 'it has preferences'?"

Lotor smiled. "There's the Keith I know," he said. "Always so curious about everything. It's quite adorable."

"Lotor..." Keith warned.

He chuckled. "I know, vhen," he said. "I'm going to explain what I mean. I'm simply happy I've managed to lift your spirits somewhat." He cleared his throat after Keith motioned for him to continue. "It doesn't react to the others' presence. It seems to have no interest in them at all. However, it does react to only two people in the Castle," He motioned between the two of them. "Us."

Keith furrowed his brows at the revelation, but kept his mouth shut. There had to be more left to this. He had so many questions, but he figured Lotor would answer most of them. He simply had to be patient.

"Suo managed to figure out it's vitals," Lotor explained. "And I assisted them with interpreting the data into emotion." Keith knew about that part already. "It saw me so often that I quickly learned it's reaction to me- fear and hatred." He shrugged. "Not that I can necessarily blame it for that."

Keith snickered. "Yeah," he said. "Considering you shot it so many times, that's fair."

"Shooting it so much was also necessary, might I add," Lotor reminded him. "We wouldn't have been able to contain it otherwise." He waved it off. "But that's not my point, or even the most interesting part to this. The reaction to you was more difficult to designate from how little it saw you, but..." Lotor hesitated. "It's... _drawn_ to you. I don't know how. I don't know why. But it _wants_ you for whatever reason." He cracked a halfhearted smile. "Not that I can blame it for that. You are quite difficult to resist."

Keith let out a clipped laugh despite the worrying information. "Flatterer."

Lotor shrugged. "What can I say? It's easy to compliment you." The lightheadedness quickly faded from his expression. "But I admit, that is another reason I wish to take you to the mall. Or anywhere." He squeezed Keith's hand. "For you are the only one in danger on the Castle, above anyone else. I..."

For once, Keith was able to guess what Lotor was going to say. "You're scared for me," he said. "There's no Voltron-related reason for me to leave the Castle today, so I'm most at risk from it if it manages to get out of containment." He tilted his head up at Lotor questioningly. "Is that what you were really worried about?"

Lotor bit his lip and nodded. His eyes fell to the floor, almost... ashamed to look at him. "Ever astute, darling," he said softly. "I meant what I said before, but... I admit I hoped it would be enough to cover the complete truth." He looked at Keith sadly. "I'm sorry for the attempted lie of omission."

"Hey," now it was Keith's turn to reassure Lotor. "Don't worry about it, I understand why you did it. And..." He smiled softly up at his boyfriend. "I would love to go anywhere else with you, hala."

Lotor's lips broke out into a grin. "Well then," he let go of Keith's hand to bow courteously and gesture to the pod bay door. "Shall we away, esteemed Black Paladin?" He was flourishing, exaggerating a posher accent than what he already had.

Keith raised a brow at the display, but he ended up smiling at it anyway. In a sort of fond 'my boyfriend is a dramatic dork but I don't mind it much' kind of way. "Yeah," he said, taking Lotor's hand and moving toward the pod bay. Lotor followed willingly. He spoke as soon as their paces paralleled each other. "You don't have to do that stuff, you know."

"Oh trust me," Lotor told him with a twinkle in his eye. "I know. I don't do it because I believe it to be necessary," they stopped at the nearest pod. "But because I wish to." Keith quickly found the cover's button to allow them access, and Lotor helped him up into the ship. He went to the passenger's seat- he trusted Lotor to take them somewhere nice. His boyfriend set himself up in the pilot's seat, and before he knew it, they were off to wherever.

Keith relaxed in his seat. It was easy to do around Lotor. For whatever reason, being around Lotor never failed to make him feel at least a bit safer. At first he thought it was just some effect of a young relationship. Yet, as time went on, that feeling hadn't faded in the slightest. It never even hesitated.

It was... _strange._ And new to him. But that didn't make the security in his system any less welcome. It was just another new frontier he'd managed to enter. One he admittedly didn't mind as much as others.

Conversation quickly sparked between them. Another thing about Lotor- he was very easy to talk to. He just continually emitted a kind and understanding aura, one that subconsciously told you that he would listen to and sympathize with all your struggles. No matter how small they actually were. It was a rare trait to find in someone, and words couldn't describe how grateful he was to be with someone like that.

Stories passed between the two during the ride as easily as the air they breathed. The quiet Altean pod that had been devoid of contact for eons was now filled with joyous incredulity and laughter from both sides. Just acknowledging that bittersweet factor made him feel better about it. More at ease.

Time flew faster than they did. Before he knew it, they were approaching a bustling golden city in their own little bubble atmosphere. The foundation of it all was a giant thick metal plate with the occasional glowing white light and long rectangular hangar doors. A multitude of colored lights moved about the closely knit collection of buildings like lightning bugs bustling about in a decorated jar. When they got closer, he saw holographic advertisements with different alien models in eye-catching dark clothing and a multitude of scrolling text in different written languages.

Surprisingly enough, one of them was English. 'Become a part of something bigger,' it read. 'Myazma.' Something about the name sounded familiar. It itched at the back of his mind, so close yet still frustratingly far away. He would have to wrack his mind for information about it later. He was here to have a nice time with his boyfriend, not wonder about a probably useless little detail. So he looked over to Lotor and let worry drift from his mind.

"I thought we were going to the mall," he said as their ship headed toward one of the open hangar doors. It was mainly empty, with just a few parked ships here and there. "Where are we?"

Lotor looked to him with slight confusion. "We're at the mall," he raised a brow. "Did you think there was only one mall out here in space?"

...He kind of did. In retrospect, it was probably a pretty stupid thing to assume. "No," he lied. "Of course not. I just... wanted to make sure. Just in case, you know?"

"Mm-hm," Lotor hummed in disbelief. "I must say, Keith- you are greatly talented at a multitude of things," they pulled into the hangar and hovered above the first available spot. "But lying is most certainly not one of them." With that, they drifted onto the metal floor.

Keith watched in surprise as a thin knee-high metal pole rose mechanically out of the corner of their spot. A tiny hole opened out of the left side, and a rope of green glowing energy shot out. The rope led itself to the closest wing and wrapped around it quickly before looping back to the pole. _Welcome to Empyrei, the golden shopping city of space._ a pleasant automated voice sounded. _Please identify the number of passengers to your travel accommodation. Then, identify yourselves._

"Two," Lotor told it, opening the cover to the pod. "Sincline and..." He looked to Keith and silently gestured for him to do the same. 'No real names,' he mouthed.

Keith didn't bother asking why for the moment. He simply nodded, racing to think of a fake name for himself. "And... Akira." Good enough.

There was a slight pause, then a beep of confirmation. _Voice identification acknowledged and archived. Please enjoy your visit._ It let out a cheery little jingle, then went completely silent.

Keith breathed out a sigh and quickly moved out of the pod. He moved to Lotor's side and extended a hand. He knew Lotor didn't need his help getting out, but he doubted either of them would skip out on an opportunity to hold hands. It was a simple but... worldlessly comforting gesture. One that Lotor unsurprisingly took with a courteous smile.

Their hold on each other didn't separate as soon as they were both out of the pod. It didn't even falter when they started for the entrance to Empyrei after closing up the pod. There was no need for any kind of pretense- they both knew each other well enough by now to know how they both enjoyed such a simple sustained touch.

Though Keith did take the opportunity to ask, "Why the fake names back there? Do they keep records?"

"For the most part, no," Lotor told him. "Empyrei is under special law- it's a strictly neutral ground that has always stayed impartial to any universal war that arrives. That means no Galran rule, but it also means there will be Galrans about. Thankfully, recording devices of any kind aren't allowed. There won't be any cameras anywhere. The only records the establishment keeps are names and times of those who arrive and depart." He shrugged. "I'd prefer to be cautious than caught. Old habits and all that."

"That's fair," Keith said. Something new bugged him now, though. "Wait, if there aren't any recording devices or cameras, how do they stop people from stealing shit from the shops?"

"Faith, at first," Lotor said nonchalantly, like they were just participating in useless small talk. "It didn't take too long for the overseers to realize that wouldn't be enough. So they employed a new strategy- each possible entrance and exit is lined with highly sophisticated sensors. In the span of split seconds, they're able to scan everything in a customer's possession and run it through their database. If it's registered as missing from stock and not paid for, well..." Lotor winced at the insinuation. That alone said more than words could express. "Let's just say, I'm glad you're smart enough not to steal anything. You have a beautiful face- I'd despair if I wasn't able to see it ever again."

If the wince didn't make it clear, that certainly did. "...Ah." Keith said flatly as they stepped into a sleek elevator. It rounded up opposite the sliding doors, the glass of the wall-long window blending with the metallic front. "I'm guessing this place isn't really the most moral, then?"

Lotor paused in the middle of inputting something into a small black screen. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," he said. "This place seems fine with being judge jury and executioner with those who wrong them, so I thought it was fair to guess that's the approach it takes to most things then. At least in some way." He shrugged. "You seem to know plenty about this place, so I figured I could ask you about it."

Lotor smiled at that and pressed a few more buttons. "Very astute, vhen." He pressed a glowing green button and the doors closed. The elevator started to move and the two turned to face the window. "It's a fair interpretation indeed. The management of Empyrei values discretion, and they aren't scions of morality by any means. They've coated this place in beautiful gilded paint," as he spoke, the glittering city finally came into view. It was a breathtaking sight. "But scratch at that paint a bit, and you find the rust hidden underneath. All that matters here is business. If you threaten or harm that, they don't hesitate to reciprocate and defend their way of life." He sighed. "The fleet I worked for found that out the hard way. Commendable, I suppose."

Keith didn't ask. He didn't need to. He just leaned his head on Lotor's shoulder, and basked in the silence and synthetic sunlight. He watched their position move further and further up until the bustling crowd below looked like a colony of ants surrounded by scintillating blips of multicolored light. Lotor's grip on Keith's squeezed reassuringly.

"...But now's not the time to be so somber," Lotor said softly. "we'll be fine as long as we follow the rules." He chuckled. "I'm sure you can manage that."

"Yeah," Keith told him drily. "No promises..." He looked at Lotor just in time to see him brows raise. "...But I'll try my best to behave. For now." He added a wink at the end for a punctuating addition.

Lotor smiled slyly at the assurance. "Thank you," he faced Keith, his unused hand drifting down to Keith's back. He goaded his boyfriend closer to him, and Keith didn't complain about it one bit. He simply complied with curiosity. "And we shall have to explore such a side of you at a later date. It has a lot of promise- the Black Paladin, savior of countless lives, completely unrestricted and unrestrained. That is," his hand moved softly to rest on Keith's hip. "If that is alright with you."

"It is, don't worry," Keith assured him. But he decided to play upon Lotor's interest a little bit more. He leaned forward and pulled Lotor's face toward his until their lips were nearly brushing against each other. "I'm only worried about what might happen to you if restraints weren't involved. Though, maybe not on me."

Lotor's cheeks were brushed with pink, but he simply chuckled. "Well," he whispered slyly, his gaze dark and promising upon Keith's. "I'm sure we can arrange _something_ along those lines. If you ask nicely."

Keith was quick to shoot back. "Should I be the one asking?"

Before Lotor could respond, a new voice piped up. "A _-hem."_ The two immediately tensed up and looked at the source. Only to find a quite annoyed older Uniluan woman holding a child with one arm with two hands covering each of the young one's ears. The fourth arm was strewn with assorted bags and apparently on the elevator button. Her glare on them was heated with a concentrated fire that made both of them falter. "Are you two done? 'Cause I'd _really_ like to go home and erase this little scene from my mind."

They immediately moved away from each other, the mood of the previous moment swiftly eradicated. "Of course ma'am," Keith said and moved past her out the elevator. "We'll get out of your way."

Lotor did the same, allowing her passage into the space they'd previously shared. "Would you like assistance with your bags or-"

"Listen," she was quick to cut him off. "I appreciate the offer, pretty boy, but I got this far. I can handle the rest of the trip. The sooner I get away from you two, the better." With that, the doors slid shut abruptly. Leaving the two of them to wallow in mutual embarrassment.

"Well," Lotor spoke up first. "I... could have done without that."

"Agreed," he said with a sigh. "So... what's the plan? Do you have one?"

Lotor's thoughtful expression answered that question for him. "Keith," he spoke up after a moment. "Would it be fair to say that you dislike shopping for clothes?"

"Yeah," Keith told him truthfully. In his experience, clothes shopping was always a long, boring process he could never bear. Not to mention he almost always hated what he ended up getting. He had faith in Lotor, but that didn't stop him from being curious about where this was going. "...Why do you ask?"

Lotor gave him a knowing look. "Follow me," he instructed. "I'll show you."

Keith did as he was told, but also took the opportunity to observe their surroundings. The room they were in reminded him of some kind of fancy airport- wide open space with giant windows to see the sleek hovering trains soaring through the air, lines of people at different kinds of terminals, and even lines of somewhat comfortable looking chairs for people to wait at. Lotor walked up to what looked like a sleek but pretty big unoccupied metal detector and gestured for Keith to step inside.

"Okay," Lotor set to typing on a tiny ovular console nearby the machine. "Stand up as tall as you can manage, with your arms out and legs separated." Keith did as he was told, but shot his busy boyfriend a questioning look. Thankfully he still got the hint. "In order to effectively shop for your new clothes without dragging you along, I need your measurements. I could always guess, but honestly?" He shrugged with a shy smile. "I've always wanted to use one of these." He stopped using the console for a moment. "Stay still, and..."

The two of them were silent among the bustling crowd around them. No one seemed to pay them much mind, too preoccupied with their own business to try and ponder anyone else's. He could respect that, at least. It was... kinda nice. Privacy in a crowded room and all that.

After a moment, the console beeped in confirmation. "There we go!" A small white card jutted out of the top of the console mechanically. Lotor moved from the console with it in hand, picking it out in one smooth movement. "You are now free to shop as you wish while I try and pick you out some nice clothes." He extended his hand to Keith with a gracious smile.

Keith rolled his eyes, but he still took the offered hand and stepped out of the machine. "I have faith in you to get stuff I like," he said. "But I still have to tell you this- you know how I like my clothes. I don't mind if you get me something different in style, but _please_ don't give me anything itchy or uncomfortable. I can't tell you how much I fucking _hate_ uncomfortable clothes."

Lotor nodded understandingly. "Duly noted, darling," he said, bending down slightly to kiss his cheek. "Meet me back here in about two and a half hours if we don't cross paths beforehand. Don't worry about spending too much. Treat yourself." Something passed between their hands as they separated. Keith looked at the source only to find a thin purple card with Galran writing on it. He opened his mouth to question Lotor about it only to find something else.

Lotor was gone. In the span of seconds, he'd managed to blend into the crowd.

But Keith wasn't worried in the slightest. He knew the ultimate plan. In the worst case scenario, he'd just wander around this place until he and Lotor would meet back up here. His mind could come up with worse, but he had a gut feeling that none of those had any chance of coming true. So he had plenty of time to kill and a giant mall-city to explore. Keith did what he felt was the best first step.

He joined one of the lines to the hover-trains. It was... surprisingly easy to do so, to just... blend into the crowd like any other person. Even in the variable array of life completely different from him in every way, he felt like just a regular person. No one special doing nothing particularly interesting. It was a pretty nice change of pace from instant recognition at nearly every other crowded place like this. 

Being a recognizable face was nice, but it was also _exhausting._ Being a no-one in a crowd of busy strangers was practically a breath of fresh air. He was going to enjoy it while he was still able to.

Overhead his particular line he saw a display of scrolling text in different written languages. Eventually it got to English- 'Entertainment District'. He had no idea what kind of 'entertainment' that meant, but he still stayed in line. He could only hope it meant something good. And if not, oh well. He could always go somewhere else.

Thankfully, the lines moved quickly. Though they didn't look that way, apparently the hover-trains could hold quite a lot of people in just one trip. No matter the shape or size. It only took about five minutes and two trains for him to be able to get a spot on the sleek seats.

He'd never gotten the chance to ride a subway, but he'd seen what it was like. The hover train was kind of like that. With a few major differences- it was practically spotless, more stable, faster, and a lot more comfortable. He still had to sit with one side slightly pressed against cold metal and the other against someone who smelled kind of like mothballs, but he didn't mind too much. He'd been less comfortable before. He wasn't going to bother complaining about this. He just sat in silence and tolerated it for about two minutes before they all got off.

As he stepped off of the train, an onslaught of neon lights greeted him. Advertisements of all kinds floated about. Only few were tethered to nearby buildings. Others bounced from person to person in the crowd like glowing beach balls at a concert. At first, it was kind of overwhelming. Hundreds of different opportunities caught his eye all at once. Each one seemed appealing in some way or another, and he couldn't decide which to go with.

Until his ears caught the muffled uproar of a crowd from a nearby glistening chrome coliseum. Something about it told him he needed to go there. He couldn't explain it, but he didn't bother questioning it for long. He simply obeyed and set his way over there.

"There you go, folks!" A booming voice sounded once he got to the doors. There were no guards or anything, just a sign on the door- 'Free Fight Night: Challenge our best!' His curiosity was piqued, so he went along with what he already wanted to do. He opened the door to immediately meet with the still-boisterous crowd looking down upon the giant arena.

It was difficult for him to see exactly what was going on down there. Thankfully, whoever was in charge of this place had him covered with a giant cube attached to the ceiling of full-screen displays on each and every side. "We have Digibyte with another total annihilation!" The announcer spoke again, and Keith watched as they dragged an unconscious person with craggy rock-like features who must have been at least 7 feet tall off the arena. 

Leaving only a victorious but pretty average-human-sized stranger- Digibyte, apparently- standing on his own in the ring. He wore a tan trench coat with countless dragging claw marks through the fabric, obviously weathered by time. He wore sleek armor- black with glowing green accents- underneath it. Obviously designed to let him move freely, yet still be able to take more hits than usual. His mask covered his entire head, completely black save for three neon green disconnected lines nearly forming a complete triangle in the face area. He held nothing but a staff only slightly taller than he was.

A basketball sized (and shaped) robot with a navy blue bowtie floated over to him. "Tell us, Digibyte," the announcer asked. "How are you feeling after that?"

"Like I'm ready to go another round," he responded in a likely synthesized voice. He looked to the crowd. "Are you ready for another round, guys?!" They responded to the question eagerly. And if Keith joined in on the cheering, what could he say? Their pure rush of enthusiasm was pretty infectious.

"Well, you certainly sound sure of yourself!" The little bot turned to the crowd nearly all around it. "Tell me folks- is there anyone in this coliseum willing to test themselves against tonight's champion?" No one answered this time. The volume in the building immediately dropped to tense silence. Countless pairs of eyes searched around, too afraid to step up but also too eager to see if anyone would answer the call. Keith didn't focus on the crowd for too long.

He was too busy staring at Digibyte. Something about him just seemed so... _familiar,_ but he couldn't understand why. He was starting to get fucking _sick_ of this happening all the time.

"No one? Are you sure?" The announcer asked with a twinge of concern. "Remember, anyone who knocks Digibyte out or gets him to yield will get an autographed item from his possessions! That's a trophy very few people will ever have!" A quiet murmur washed over the crowd, but still no one ended up taking the bait. Fear seemed to win out over greed in the end.

In the moment Keith was finally able to get a secure spot to actually see the arena, Digibyte moved his head in his direction. It was hard to tell with the mask, but Keith could tell that his eyes were right on him. A cold sweat ran down his neck when he saw Digibyte tap at the little robot with eyes still fixed on him. He had a really bad feeling about this.

"Fine," Digibyte said. "If no one will challenge me, then I will challenge one of _you!"_ An interested hum filled the room. That definitely got everyone's attention, now that the pressure wasn't on most of them anymore. "And I already have someone in mind." He lifted his staff to point it in Keith's direction. "The outer rim, section Amalur. The short Earthling in the red and white jacket."

Oh son of a _bitch._

Keith stayed frozen in place as all eyes in the coliseum turned to him. The little robot floated over everyone else's heads just to arrive right in front of him. In his periphery, he could see the screens followed along with it. "Well, well, well!" The announcer chuckled. "Good eye, Digibyte! I can see why you chose this one! Tell me," the robot turned to look at Digibyte. "You're really confident in yourself enough to challenge the leader of Voltron?"

The crowd exploded in an array of reactions at the revelation. He caught only a few- 'By the stars, it really is the Black Paladin!' or 'Wait, what is he doing here?' or his least favorite, 'Wait, is that really the Black Paladin? ...Huh. I thought he'd be taller in person.'

"What can I say?" Digibyte shrugged with a confident tone. "I know a good challenge when I see one. Or, at least, I hope I do." He looked to Keith. "Tell us all, Black Paladin- do you need a giant robotic lion in order to be a somewhat decent warrior?" A chorus of 'ooh's filled the air around him.

Keith knew that it was just a taunt. A way of getting him to actually do this fight. The same kind of goading tactic countless kids used on him so he'd attack them and look like the bad guy in the situation. It always worked. He had been very easy to provoke. It was a bad habit he hadn't been quite able to shake yet.

...And right now was no exception. It got under his skin a little bit, and he could tell that Digibyte knew it. That only made the whole thing worse. "That's a damning accusation," the announcer said to him as the robot turned to face him once again. "Tell me, how are you going to answer it?"

All eyes were on him. Countless bated breaths awaited his rebuttal. So he gave them what he believed they wanted.

He chuckled and looked to the little robot. "I'll answer it easily," he said. "But not up here." He began to walk forward. Toward the ring. Everyone in his way parted to create a straight and narrow path to Digibyte. "After all," he snuck a sly look back at the robot. "Words are cheap, especially coming from someone hiding behind a fancy mask."

A chorus of more intense 'ooh's surrounded him. It powered his stride and pushed him toward what he hoped wasn't a horrible mistake. A few people he passed patted him on the shoulder. He could only hope that was in support instead of premature condolence. They pushed him forward in either way. He wanted to spite the disbelief and strengthen the faith in him. So he continued on.

A small platform revealed itself and rose up in the middle of the ring as soon as his boots met the ashy white dust of the ring. A collection of differently styled blunted weapons, from primitive clubs to high-tech handheld spinning blades. It was quite an impressive display. He allowed himself a moment to observe and admire the aesthetics of a few obviously stylized weapons.

...Before he waved his hand away from all of it. "No thanks," he said. "I don't need any of this."

"...What?" The announcer asked, straining to be heard above the audience's shocked reaction.

"You heard me," he repeated nonchalantly. "I don't need any of this. The only weapons I need are right here." He clenched his fists. "I'm ready to prove it." The reaction was practically deafening. The weapons platform slowly sunk back down. 

The announcer chuckled. "I like you already, Black Paladin." The robot lifted high up above the ring once more. "Alright, fighters! Are you ready?" The two mutually nodded. "Fine folks in the audience, are you ready for the match of a lifetime?!" The answer was a deafening roar of adrenaline and excitement. That was enough of an answer for him. "Okay- go!"

Immediately, both of them leaped into action. Digibyte had range, but he was also a bit too slow for his own good. Keith remembered his occasional training sessions with the Gladiator. It's pole was about the same length as the one his opponent was using, so Keith's brain immediately switched to tactics that worked best on it. He did his best to divide Digibyte's attention, to make him prepare for a hit in one place only to go for something else entirely. 

It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty damn close. He was in hyperdrive powered by nothing but spite. If he hadn't been taunted into this, he probably would be doing much worse than he was doing right now. Guess there really were a few small mercies in life.

If he had the mental capacity to be give more attention to detail, he would notice something important about his opponent. Even then, a small nugget of doubt nudged its way slowly into his head as the fight dragged onward. For a champion fighter, Digibyte was making a lot of mistakes. Taking hits he should have been able to easily block. Slowing down ever so slightly whenever it looked like he might be able to get the upper hand. He was losing badly, and it almost looked like...

Like he was doing it _on purpose._ Deliberately losing while still looking like he was trying.

Keith wanted to stop and ask why, but right now such a thing wasn't possible. Even if he was trying to lose the fight, Digibyte was still trying within it. He wasn't going to stop just because Keith did. So Keith kept on fighting, looking for an opportunity to finish the fight.

Such an opportunity came in a hit Digibyte managed to get in. One to the side of Keith's head, hard enough to make him see stars. But it also allowed him to go for what would hopefully be the finishing blow. He grabbed the pole with both hands and held it in place. He waited until Digibyte seemed more focused on getting his weapon back than his sloppy stance.

In a swift movement, Keith dropped to the floor. One hand and one foot supported and steadied his stance as the other leg extended straight out. He moved it in an arc, right through both of Digibyte's unprepared legs. As Keith expected, Digibyte let go of the pole to catch his fall. Leaving it in Keith's other hand.

Keith stood up from his circular movement with his new weapon ready. Something shifted in his grip, and a fizzling sound started from the pole. He looked to find quite an interesting addition- threads of electricity dancing along the metal. Just waiting for a target to connect with. He had no idea what the power level of it was at.

Hopefully he wouldn't have to stoop that low.

Digibyte was still recuperating. His head lifted up to Keith's imposing figure standing above him. He let out a strained grunt when the Black Paladin's boot connected with his chest hard enough to knock him flat and didn't separate from it. And another one when Keith lightly stepped on the fingers of the hand closest to his legs. Not enough to break, but enough to keep it pinned down.

"You were a good opponent," Keith said. "I'd hate to have to drag you into unconsciousness in front of all these fine people," he pointed the electric end of the pole at Digibyte's throat. "But I will if you don't give me a choice. Yield, and all this stops."

The voice modulator crackled out for a moment, revealing Digibyte's true voice. Keith fought to keep his calm and commanding demeanor through the shock that ripped through him. He knew that voice all too well. "You didn't lie," he tapped at his temple, and the voice modulator screeched back to its staticky life. But Keith knew exactly who this was. Believing it was possible was an entirely different story. "You're quite the warrior yourself, Black Paladin. I understand why you're a Defender of the Universe, if you fight against all your enemies so well." He took a long moment to look to the crowd holding their breath for the coming answer.

Finally, 'Digibyte' sighed. He dropped his head in defeat. "You got me, Keith." he used his free hand to limply hit his leg twice. "I... I yield."

The silence hung in the air for a few more moments. Then, a thunderous uproar with a few scattered bouts of booing. But Keith wasn't focused on them.

He was focused on the figure with him. As soon as he yielded, Keith immediately got off of him. He let go of the pole and let it clatter to the floor. He didn't think about it after that. It didn't exist in his mind; nothing outside of the arena did for what felt like an eternity. A storm of conflicting emotions whirled within him, constricting his chest and making it difficult to focus on doing anything something other than hyperfocus on the new information plopped unceremoniously on his lap. It took those moments of silence for him to get the pieces to his puzzled thoughts somewhat together.

He extended a hand to Digiby-

You know what? No. He wasn't going to keep up this mental facade. Now that he knew the truth, there wasn't a point in pretending.

His former opponent took his offering hand and got up rather quickly. He used the momentum to put his mask near Keith's ear for a moment. In that time, he managed to whisper, "Don't stay long," he said. "Meet me in my prep room ASAP. We need to talk, Keith." With that, he moved away to limp down a hallway in the only space unavailable to the audience.

Keith watched Matt walk out of sight with more questions in his head than answers. Only one thing was certain to him right now.

He would be telling Pidge about this as soon as he got back to the Castle.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt and Keith catch up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's the second chapter  
> hope you guys enjoy it!

"And we have our new champion!" the announcer's voice barely boomed above the cheering crowd. The robot floated over to him curiously. "Tell us, Black Paladin, how are you feeling?"

"I..." His eyes were still pointing down the hall, where Matt had been only seconds ago. His mind was racing lightyears away from reality. It was pretty damn difficult to focus on anything other than the questions playing chicken with the tip of his tongue. His heart was going even faster than that. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to chase after Matt and get some well-deserved answers to tell the others. But he knew he had to keep up appearances. He was asked a question- might as well answer it.

He ran a hand through his barely sweaty hair and let out a halfhearted huff. "I feel..." A genuine smile crept it's way onto his lips as he looked to the little robot. "I feel _great!"_ It wasn't a lie. It had been a while since a fight left him with a sense of weary satisfaction in nearly his entire body instead of the usual bone-draining exhaustion from most battles he had nowadays.

The fight still wore on him a bit, but in all the right ways. It made him feel like he could take on the fucking universe. Like he could do anything he wanted to with just a little bit of elbow grease. Hopefully that feeling would still be lingering by the time he got back to the Castle.

"Oh really? the announcer asked. "Do you feel great enough to do another round in the ring?" The robot turned to the surrounding crowd. "Wouldn't you like to see that fight, fine folk of the Coliseum?" The answer was a resounding 'yes'. It was almost impossible for him to hear the announcer through it. "What do you say, Black Paladin? A double or nothing deal with Digibyte, or perhaps another fighter?"

"I- Wait," he stopped and gave the robot a confused look. "Digibyte looked pretty messed up when he walked out of here. Wouldn't it be a bit unfair to pit him against me again so soon?"

The announcer actually chuckled at that. "I can tell this is your first time at our establishment, Black Paladin," the robot nudged him. "Don't worry about him. All of our fighters have _remarkable_ vitality. Just give Digibyte 10 minutes, and he'll be as good as new."

As soon as the announcer mentioned 'amazing vitality', Keith's bullshit meter immediately skyrocketed through the ceiling. Once in high school, Matt was out with a mild cold for a full-on week. Even when he had to come back to keep up his school credit, he was still sick as a dog. It took a month and a half of slowly dwindling symptoms for him to fully recover from it. The same thing happened right before the Kerberos trip, where Shiro had to stay over for three days to take care of him. So Keith seriously doubted things had changed naturally since then. 

So, while he didn't until that point, Keith definitely got some suspicions about this entire establishment. What were they really doing with their fighters? What were they doing with _Matt?_ He had to know.

"So...?" The announcer questioned. "What's your answer, Black Paladin?"

...But now wasn't the time to ask the questions in his mind. Something told him they wouldn't really appreciate being questioned like that in front of so many people. That 'something' being 'common sense.' So as much as he wanted to expose this place of its likely shady practices, Keith decided to keep quiet.

For now. As soon as he had actual answers, he would rain hell down upon anyone who deserved it. The first step to that was to check up on Matt. He'd been wasting too much time here.

He lightly pushed the robot away from him with a gracious smile. "I... appreciate the offer- really, I do- but my answer is no. I'm good with what I've won." He started stepping back towards the hall's entrance. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a prize to claim. Thank you for the offer." With that, he turned around and quickly walked into the hall. He didn't pay much attention to the announcer's answer or the booing of the crowd.

He just... kept on going and turned a corner into a corridor.

The heavy smell of sweat and various kinds of body odor assaulted his nose and weighed on his shoulders the further he went into the dimly lit corridor. He passed by what felt like a countless array of near-identical doors on both sides of him. The only things that made each one distinguishable were the primly-lettered names on shitty plates placed at eye-level on each door. Those were the only reason he didn't wander the corridor like an eternally lost soul, searching for the right door,

When he opened Matt's door, he wasn't at all prepared for what he saw.

Matt was sitting at a mirrored low grimy chrome armoire at the opposite wall. His unmasked head was buried in his hands, loose sweat-slicked auburn curls wild and tangling amongst grasping fingers. "It's okay," he heard Matt whisper to himself. His voice was... shaky and unsure. He was trying to convince himself. "You've... You've done this before. You need to be strong." He sighed, one hand moving from his hair to rest on the tabletop. "You're so _close._ Just... hold on just a little while longer, Matt. For Katie, and..." His hand drifted down to the closest drawer and opened it. Without a glance, he reached in and pulled out a palm-sized glass flask of dark purple liquid. He looked at it unenthusiastically. "...For Takashi." With that, he popped up the lid and emptied the entire thing in one shot.

The effects were apparently immediate. Matt hissed and winced at whatever pain he was feeling, screwing his eyes shut and biting hard at his bottom lip. His body went rigid as black noticeably laced through his veins and his skin was tinted with the lightest shade of lilac. The sound of breaking glass filled the quiet air when Matt clenched his fist so tightly the flask still held within it broke. Matt didn't seem to notice or care about it. He just opened his hand and let the jagged blood-lined glass shards tumble audibly onto the tabletop.

When Keith looked at his open hand, though... It was _fine._ Not a scratch to be seen anywhere on it.

The furrow of Matt's eyebrows deepened and the tension in his body tightened for a moment. The visible effects grew darker, and then... faded away. It just... drained out of view. Within seconds, Matt looked nearly the exact same as he looked before he took the mysterious shot.

If anything, Keith would swear that Matt actually looked... _better now._ His skin and hair were free of the sweat that had clung to them moments before. His skin was clearer, and the visible blooming bruises from the fight were now completely gone without a trace. The forming bags under his eyes were hardly noticeable, until they weren't there any longer.

He had a deep, old scar just over and under his right eye. That was still there, but it looked much less severe now. A hard drawn line rather than the crease it was before. The tension drained from Matt's body. He leaned back in his weathered swivel chair and opened his eyes to allow Keith to see one final oddity.

His left eye was perfectly fine. It held the same kind glow that it had before the Kerberos mission. Keith still remembered it (usually pointed at Takashi) after what felt like an eternity, but in reality was only about a little more than two years. Time was such a fickle thing, but they'd both changed so much in that time. He didn't focus on the hollow feeling that thought dug into his chest for very long. Instead, his attention was occupied by the other eye. Pure yellow replaced the normal sclera, and the iris was now a startling shade of royal blue.

The exact shade of both of Lotor's eyes.

Matt looked at the reflection of it in mild annoyance. "Not _again,"_ he muttered under his breath. With the bottom edge of his right hand's palm, he started hitting his temple lightly. Blips of different colors popped up in reaction ranging from normal blue to radioactive green. "Come on, you defective piece of-" Matt huffed in annoyance and stopped hitting himself as soon as the normal colors spread through his eye in a rippling wave. He blinked a few times just to make sure it would stay. It didn't even falter.

"Oh, thank _God,"_ he exhaled more than spoke. "I just-" He swayed his swivel chair a bit to each side idly, giving him a sliver of Keith's arm in the mirror. 

Unfortunately for Keith, a sliver was enough. Matt immediately tensed up and did a complete 180 to face him. "Black Paladin Keith," he said, nervously scratching at the back of his neck. "I, uh... I imagine you have questions."

"Yeah," he scoffed. "That's a fuckin' understatement." He put up his index finger. "First off," he pointed at Matt. "What in the everloving _hell_ was all... that? What did I just watch?"

Matt sighed in resignation. "How much did you see?"

"I got here right before you drank that..." He gestured to the broken glass. "...whatever that was. Before anything else, I really want an explanation for that."

Matt looked around the room nervously. "I can't tell you." he said, quickly getting up from his chair. "To be honest," he headed for a small closet in the wall. "I was kinda hoping I could get all that over and dealt with before you managed to get here."

"Well, you didn't," he said, crossing his arms. "And what I saw was... really concerning, so--"

"I know." Matt interrupted. "I can imagine what it looks like to someone without the full story, but I..." He suddenly trailed off and turned to Keith with a curious expression. With it, he slowly touched the side of his forehead with his fingertips, the rest of his hand in a flat shape. Then he lifted one clenched fist to show to Keith. After a moment, the middle finger rose up ever so slightly, and the thumb moved to cover it. Finally, his thumb and index finger separated to form a finger 'L'. He shot Keith a questioning look. It took Keith a moment to understand his meaning.

_"Know A-S-L?"_

He was a bit rusty at it, but he knew the basics. One of his earlier foster parents had been deaf, and taught him quite a bit before he realized he was too old to effectively take care of a child and sent Keith back to the home. He hadn't used it in _years,_ but he somehow hadn't forgotten it completely. Guess he could put it to good use.

He nodded, then moved the fingers to pinch a bit of the air. Then he touched his forehead with the fingers of his right hand. Then while he brought his hand forward and down, he changed it to the letter "y," keeping his palm facing him with a questioning expression.

_"Yes, a bit. Why?"_

Matt looked absolutely _relieved_ at that. "...I just can't tell you," he said, but his hands said something else entirely. Both his hands are moved to face palm down and formed index finger handshapes. "It's nothing important anyway." He held the right hand a few inches above and an inch to the right of the left hand. He brought the right hand down sharply and whacked the fingernail of the left index finger with the fingerprint side of the right index finger.

_"Can't..."_

He smiled reassuringly at Keith. "It's over now," he said. One hand moved to show four fingers, then tapped his chin twice. He then made both hands into Y-shapes, with his thumb and pinkie fingers extended and his three middle fingers curled in. He started with both arms up, then brought them down. "So let's not focus on it, okay?"

_"...speak now."_

Matt's hands busied themselves with a console on the wall next to the built-in closet. "Instead, how about we get your prize out of the way?" He looked to Keith and quickly mouthed, _'Prying ears are everywhere here'._ The doors opened with a click and a smooth whirr, and Matt started scrounging through his haphazard pile of belongings for a reasonable trophies.

"...Okay," Keith made sure to sound reluctant, but willing to drop the subject. "I guess." He raised a brow. "Got anything good in there?"

"Depends on what you-" he suddenly stopped. _"Yes!"_ he plucked a fancy-looking bronze and blue hard covered book about as big as his head from the pile. "Tell me, Black Paladin, how do you feel about Monsters  & Mana?" He showed Keith the book, and sure enough- that was the boldly lettered title. It looked very well taken care of, considering the messy pile it was wedged into.

Keith shot him a look of genuine confusion. "...No," he said. "Can't say I have."

Matt grinned like he always would when he was excited to show Takashi something. "Perfect!" He said, plucking a pen perfectly from the pile. He sat back by the tabletop and opened the book to write on the other side of the cover. "I love introducing people to new things!" That... was pretty accurate. 

While writing up a storm, Matt managed to look back to Keith for a moment. "Speaking of which, have you seen the newest store yet? They only finished it a few cycles ago- Earth on Empyrei. I haven't been there myself, and I have a bit of time to kill before I have to fight in the ring again." He shot a knowing smile. "Since you bested me in the ring so badly without a weapon, how about I take you there? Free of charge, my treat."

It was tempting. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge would probably love some souvenirs from there. He could probably find something Coran, Allura, and Lotor would like. Maybe he could even get something for himself- he didn't want to be too lavish with Lotor's money, but it also seemed like a waste to not use it _at all._ And if what Matt mouthed was true, it would actually give them a chance to talk without any eavesdropping ears.

Keith chuckled. "You know," he teased. "You're being awfully generous for someone who thought I couldn't fight without the protection of a 'giant robotic lion.' Why the sudden change, Digi?" He smiled smugly. "Took a byte bigger than you could chew?"

Matt stopped writing and shut the book. He swerved in his chair to face him. "First of all," he raised his index finger. "I noticed that pun, and it was absolutely _awful._ Second of all..." his middle finger joined the index. "...Yeah." He shrugged. "I'll admit it- you thrashed me in there. I'm not stupid enough to act like you didn't. And sure, I trash talked you." He slid the book over to Keith with a quick 'Show to Katie, they'll know' and winked. "But I just do that to rile up my opponent and get the crowd excited. I didn't actually mean what I said. So," he extended a hand and raised a brow. "We good?"

Keith took a moment to fake considering the offer. He hummed curtly and took a moment of silence. "...Yeah," he finally said after enough time had passed and took Matt's hand. He shook it firmly. "Don't worry about it- I understand. We're good."

He smiled genuinely at that. "I'm glad," he said. "I'd rather not make an enemy out of one of the most influential people in the universe over a dumb little stage act." He paused and let his hand slip out of Keith's grip. "...So, do you wanna get out of here or what? Time's a-wastin'."

"Well," Keith held the book close to him and shrugged. "I don't see why not. How far's the walk?"

Matt scoffed, shooting him an incredulous look. "Who said anything about _walking,_ Black Paladin." He stood up from his chair and quickly moved to the door. "Follow me. We're gonna travel in style." The door opened as soon as he stepped close to it. "My treat." He bowed exaggeratedly and gestured to the open doorway. "After you, the esteemed victor."

"That's not necessary, thanks." Keith gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go together. Fight's over and no one else is around, so we don't have to stick to that load of bull." He genuinely smiled at Matt. "Let's just... go like two old friends, finally reunited. No rank, no title, no bullshit. Just us." He quirked up a brow. "That sound good to you?"

Matt nodded and stood up fully. "Sounds _great_ to me," he threw an arm around Keith's shoulders, his eyes shining with a bittersweet excitement. They both knew why. They didn't need to address it verbally; their looks said more than words could ever express. "Let's go, Keith. This way."

The two of them walked side by side back through the corridor. They made small talk along the way, saying much but never truly speaking. It was just all hollow information both of them already knew about each other- things they had known for years- but had to treat like completely new information. After all, prying ears were everywhere. They couldn't be too careful not to give anything of actual importance away.

Instead of turning the corner to the ring, they kept going forward. More doors lined the wall on either side of them. For the most part, they were ignored. Until they got to the door at the very end. Instead of a name, glowing red letters spelled out 'EXIT'. They went out to greet the artificial shroud of darkness outside the coliseum.

For an automated system designed to keep a cycling atmosphere, it felt... like a genuine night. If all the sounds of busy people leading busy lives were suddenly a few miles away, he could easily shut his eyes and pretend he was back at his dad's old shack. Like it was one of those nights he could sneak up to climb on the roof and just... soak in the silence of the stars. Embrace the desert serenity's gentle heat.

He couldn't even try to guess how many nights he'd spent up there in his lone year before Voltron whisked him away. How many times he'd tried to barter with the constellations, hoping that they would stop being so selfish and return Takashi to him one day. They had shared him with Keith for a little while... before snatching him away again. Without a fucking _trace._

He would like to say he was over it already, but in reality? Part of him was still recovering from it. The loss only stung him when he thought about it, so he'd learned to just... not think about it. There were only a few slip ups here and there, like right now.

"-Keith?" He heard Matt ask... something. He'd been too wrapped up in the machinations of his mind to pay full attention. Oh no. He was giving Keith a concerned look now. They were standing by a sleek black shuttle car with dimly glowing purple accents, and Keith felt utterly frozen in place as he watched realization wash over Matt's expression. "...Oh. I get it." He moved his arm to rest his hand on Keith's shoulder. "Trust me, I miss him too." His expression melted into... wistfulness. "A lot more than you probably realize."

With that, he moved away from Keith to the other side with a nostalgic expression. He pressed a small button, and both doors lifted to allow them access to the posh-looking leather seats. Everything was polished, shining and beautiful. Keith shuffled into the car awkwardly. He wasn't sure about whether or not he should question what Matt meant by 'a lot more than you probably realize'.

On one hand, Matt owed him a lot of answers. What was one more on top of all that? It could possibly make all these... weird events make sense. It would probably hurt to know, but if the Blade taught him anything in the short time he involved himself with them, it was that knowledge and pain were as interconnected as roses and their thorns. (Also that he should absolutely go anywhere anyone in authority told him not to go. Though he seriously doubted the latter lesson could apply to this.)

On the other, though... it definitely seemed like asking would make things between them infinitely more awkward than they already were. There were always lines people should never cross. For all he knew, asking about what Matt meant would be crossing one of those unacceptable lines.

As soon as he saw Matt's expression as he sat in the driver's seat, Keith's mind was undoubtedly made up in an instant. The doors shut, the car started with a smooth constant whirr, and they joined the moving traffic lines above them. Keith stayed absolutely silent and waited for Matt to speak up again. He wouldn't pry into that business. No matter how tempting it was.

"After Takashi escaped from the Galra," Matt finally started with a sigh. "I was sorta... passed around from commander to commander. Each one had me doing different jobs around their fleet. On my last one, I was a drone technician. I made sure they were almost always functioning at full capacity. It sounds like a boring and safe job..." He tapped at his right eye. "But that's where I got this bad boy- a Galra-tech cybernetic eye to... replace the one I lost. I was apparently too good a resource to just throw away." He winked. "Even let me modify it myself. They didn't know half of what I did, but still. Lucky for me, right?"

"Yeah," Keith said, but he still needed more than that. "I already know that Empyrei's it's own independent system. How did you get away from the Galra to end up here, then?"

He clicked his tongue, looking down at the countless buildings they passed over. "Well," he started. "My last fleet tried to attack Empyrei. A surprising number have tried, but I think you know Galra pride by now. Every Commander wants the glory of victory over a difficult enemy. When we got there, though..." He shuddered. "It was _bad._ First opportunity I got, I booked it out of there. Hijacked a cruiser and tried to sneak out through the chaos."

He reached over to take off his arm guards, revealing a pretty nasty looking burn scar. "Didn't get too far. My cruiser crashed down into an open hangar bay. I fought pretty hard against security, but I didn't stand a chance. I was taken hostage and thrown into a temporary cell with a few other fleet workers they'd gotten a hold of." His eyes grew glassy as he spoke, like he was reliving the past in his mind's eye. "One by one, we were taken out and questioned by the Overseers."

Keith furrowed his brows. "Who are the Overseers?"

"The minds behind all of Empyrei," Matt explained. "I don't mean that figuratively, either. They... don't have a physical form. In all respects, you could probably say they _are_ Empyrei. Very little happens without them knowing about it. They're connected to nearly everything in this little system, and they _definitely_ don't like people stepping out of their neat little lines."

Keith let the information wash over him for a moment. He looked out the window and tried to imagine all of Empyrei as the internal workings of one being. Each shuttle car was a blood cell, racing along a set path from one point to another. The buildings were bones, the lights scintillating organs. It was... surprisingly easy for him to imagine the concept. In any other context, he'd find it... kind of cool in a way.

However, two very important questions came to ruin his absentminded imagining. He looked over to Matt. "Wait," he said. "If they're connected to everything inside Empyrei's system, doesn't that mean they can hear us right now? Won't they be mad at you for spilling their secrets?"

"If they find out about it, yes," Matt told him matter-of-factly. "Luckily, this shuttle is special. It flies under the system's radar _just enough_ to be both unnoticeable and unable to be eavesdropped on. 'S why I wanted to go out so much." He paused and shrugged slightly. "...And to catch up. How've you been, Keith?"

"Weird," he answered. "But something tells me you're not quite done with your story yet. Finish your full story and I'll tell you mine." He settled into a more comfortable position in his seat. "I've got plenty of time to hear you out."

Matt smiled, and it didn't take a mind reader to notice the hint of nervousness to it. He had probably been hoping Keith wouldn't pry. Too bad. "Right," he said with a sigh. "The Overseers. We were individually taken to a special room to 'talk' with them. I had to sit in a cramped cold room for _hours,_ hearing the screams of my former crewmen. When one was done, they always looked... frazzled. Each was taken out of sight down the hall, and to this day I haven't seen a single one since. Then another one would be sent in, and the cycle would continue again." 

He looked down at the shuttle's dashboard dismally. "Eventually I was the only one waiting for my turn in that cell. Felt like I was the last in line for an execution. Reminded me of the Gladiator Arena with Takashi, only a million times worse because I..." His eyes welled up with tears. "I was completely _alone,_ and I-I didn't want to die a nameless nobody with no loved ones around for countless lightyears."

"...Shit," Keith struggled to come up with something to say. "I... Matt, I'm _so sorry._ I-I can't even imagine how awful that must've been." He was being completely genuine. Sure, he knew the feeling of being utterly alone before. The feeling was practically his only constant friend before Takashi. But his life had never been in danger in any of those times. Whenever he was in danger, he had someone by his side to help him through.

Matt scoffed with a twinge of bitterness in his voice. "Thanks, but it's unnecessary," he said. "You're a Paladin of Voltron. I'm sure you've faced worse than I ever have. I shouldn't whine about what I've gone through."

"So?" Keith was quick to respond. "You're not whining, you're just expressing your feelings on the matter. And even if I've had experiences trillions of times worse than that one, that doesn't mean your own experiences are suddenly invalid. Life isn't a constant contest about who has things worse when," he placed his hand on Matt's shoulder with a soft smile. "Pain isn't a number to be shared and compared. It's just an experience we all have at different times in our lives. Just... remember that, okay?"

Matt looked absolutely _shocked._ For a few dragging moments, he just... stared at Keith with tear-threatened eyes. He didn't move. He barely even breathed. He simply focused on Keith.

And then the tears started to fall. The first few were completely silent, lone little tracks forged down the slopes of his face. But the silence didn't last much longer. The dam was leaking, and it didn't take too long to fully splinter off and break. And when it finally did, the waters flowed freely. The fractured pieces of debris were not silent in the lamenting of their broken state.

Matt's sobs tore at Keith's heart. Each tear he shed felt like a poison Keith hadn't known he would receive. As instinct, he offered his open arms. Matt gravitated toward the comfort wordlessly, too caught up in his emotional chaos to care about burying his face in (and subsequently soaking) Keith's shirt. Keith's movements were awkward and unsure of himself. He had no idea how to make things better from here. He was hoping his words would stop Matt from bursting into tears, but they had the opposite effect.

"I... l don't know what I said wrong," he confessed, rubbing Matt's back comfortingly. "But I'm sorry for whatever it was. I didn't mean to--"

Matt laughed halfheartedly through the tears and sat back up. "I-I know," he said, wiping at his eyes. "You didn't say anything wrong, Keith. I just..." He sighed and looked at Keith with bloodshot and still shining eyes. "When you were talking just then, I could _swear_ you..." He gave a bittersweet smile struggling to stay positive. "You sounded _just like Takashi."_

...Oh. Looking back on what he said, he could definitely see Takashi saying something along those lines. Probably better than Keith ever could.

"Man," Matt said, looking at him admiringly. "I remember a quiet kid back on Earth who barely spoke to anyone but Takashi. He pushed most people away from him, hid himself away from the world. You look just like him, but..." Matt gave him a fond smile. "It's like you're a completely different person now." He held up a clarifying hand. "I mean that in the best way, though. You've grown, kiddo."

Keith chuckled as Matt ruffled at his hair. He playfully smacked the hand away. "I, uh... I try." he said honestly. "It's been... _hard_ without him. I guess I sorta had to grow into the place Takashi left. I still am. But I..." He smiled hopefully at Matt. "I think I'm getting the hang of it. And one day, I'll be able to make my own mark on the Universe."

"Well," Matt shrugged. "You've got a good start so far. I didn't get to know you well personally, just got info from Takashi, but I gotta say... I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," he said. "I appreciate it. Really." He paused for the slightest moment. "...But I still wanna hear the rest of your story. What happened when you actually got to talk with the Overseers?"

Matt winced at the memory. "'Talking with them' wouldn't really be the best description for it. They had special equipment to... temporarily connect me into their stream of consciousness. In that time, I had no grasp of what was actually real, except for the strain it caused. Felt like my head was going to implode if I stayed for too long. They pressed my mind for information about the Galra Empire, and..." He shrugged. "I gave it willingly. I didn't see any reason to hide anything, and they were grateful for the cooperation. I still had to serve a contracted sentence, but one _a lot_ better than what my former crewmen got. As soon as it's up, I can leave to wherever I want to go."

"...So you work for the coliseum under contract," Keith thought aloud, trying to string the entire story he'd been given together. "Is the stuff you drank a required condition of your contract, then?" He saw Matt nod. "I saw what it can do. Have you been taking it a while?"

"Ever since I got stuck here," Matt told him reluctantly. "About... 9 months ago."

Keith gave him an incredulous look. "How much longer do you need to take it?"

"About 9 more months."

A lump formed in Keith's throat as a horrible thought crawled into his mind. "Is it..." He started. "Do you know if it's addictive or not?" Matt nodded again. "It is?" A pained pause, and then... another nod. "Do you know what it is?" Matt shook his head this time. "Then why the fuck would you follow along with taking it?"

"Scanners are everywhere," Matt told him. "If I tried to get into the arena without it in my system, they'd know in an instant. I've tried almost too many times now. I'd be terminated on the spot if it happens one more time."

Keith didn't stop to think through what that could imply. "Then why stay with the arena?" He questioned. The shuttle began to glide down. "I'm sure there's worse things in the Universe than getting fired."

Matt scoffed, turning to look out the window. "Yeah, _'fired',"_ he murmured. _"That's_ what I meant."

Keith opened his mouth to retort, but quickly shut it. It didn't take too long to fully realize Matt's meaning. Of course a place that was fine with vaporizing thieves on the spot would take a similar stance against those who broke their word. God, he felt like such an idiot for even assuming otherwise.

Thankfully he didn't have to dwell on it for long. The shuttle floated down to a hovering stop at the sidewalk. The glowing neon blue sign greeted them cheerfully in the simulated night's darkness- Earth on Empyrei. The building it decorated was _giant,_ practically a towering skyscraper. The tall windows showed a golden glow accentuated with an array of vibrant color. He could see a floor-wide food court, a display of hundreds of flags, and shelves packed full of memorabilia from different Earthen cultures.

"Guess we're here," Matt said with a twinge of... something Keith couldn't quite place in his voice. "It's, uh... It's probably best if we split up from here. He looked to Keith sadly. "There's a lot to see, and I'm guessing you came here with someone, so..."

"...So this is goodbye?" Keith finished for him. "Why?"

"I need to get rid of this shuttle," Matt explained. "Been using it for too long anyways. I don't want the Overseers to get too suspicious. Plus, the less time we're together, the smaller the target on your back'll be." He sighed. "It sucks, but it's how things have to be for now. Until I'm free from this place." He smiled halfheartedly. "It'll come soon enough. Just... don't forget about lil' old me when you're busy being a defender of the Universe, okay?"

"I won't," Keith told him. "I promise. And before you open the door..." Keith moved over to pull Matt into his waiting arms, holding him close in a tight embrace. "That was from Takashi," he informed as soon as they separated. Then he punched Matt lightly on the arm. "That's from Katie. I'm sure they'll give you a tighter hug too, but you'll have to meet them in person for that. So be sure to come out of here alive, dumbass."

Matt snickered at that last sentence. "Noted," he said. "Is that last part from Katie, too?"

"No," Keith moved his hand to grip the door handle. "That was from me." With that, he opened the door and stepped out of the shuttle with his trophy in hand. It was quick to shut and fly off back into the fray of floating traffic. Keith watched it rush out of sight with a bittersweet taste in his mouth.

He stayed in place for a moment more, then walked into Earth on Empyrei. The boisterous atmosphere was quick to swallow him whole, but he didn't mind much. It felt like a side of home he'd never gotten to see for himself. His first stop was a stall on the ground floor- the food court. 'Cuban Delicacies' was the name, with a translation in nearly every other Earth language scrolling past the sign.

He stepped up to the unoccupied counter with a bored-looking cashier. He gave them a smile as he saw them have a double take upon seeing him. "Hi," he said, taking out Lotor's credit card. "Could I have a large order of garlic knots to-go, please?"

The resulting visit was a rush. He grabbed some food for himself, a greasy cheeseburger that looked much better in the menu's picture than reality. The coffee he got burned his tongue when he tried to drink it. Across the way, he saw two children chasing each other with shrieking laughter. Much to the ire of the caretaker trying to wrangle them to go.

He smiled to himself. Yup, this place definitely reminded him of Earth.

He didn't spend a lot of time eating. Instead, he set to work picking out gifts for his team. He got a few little games for Pidge's console, a mustache grooming kit for Coran, and a t-shirt with a bad pick-up line on it for Lance. Hunk got a few things- mainly a couple bottles of different spices and a cookware set, along with a wonderfully soft pearlescent scarf that smelled like sea salt on the wind. He got a fidget tool for Suo, and a few books about different Earth cultures along with a few interesting hair accessories for Allura. For Lotor... he found quite an interesting gift.

He got his boyfriend a stuffed animal. It was a beautiful dark purple lioness with swirling lighter accents along her sides, sparkling like stardust and soft to the touch. Her eyes glittered a royal blue he felt looked at him comfortingly. Like the lioness was a sage who'd listen wordlessly to his struggle. Maybe during Lotor's next... 'episode' such a companion would help him through. Do what Keith struggled to.

It was worth a shot, at least. If it didn't work out, he still got a pretty nice gift.

While he moved down to the music level to browse what they had, Keith caught a glimpse of long white hair. It stayed at one of the displays, interrupted by earbuds in pointed purple ears. He moved closer to the familiar figure while he was still distracted by whatever he was listening. He saw the corners of a screen, but Lotor's body blocked what it said from his view.

Keith snuck up to him silently. As soon as he was close enough, he tapped at Lotor's shoulder quickly. His boyfriend startled quickly, flipping around to face the one vying for his attention in an instant. One of the many bags laden on his arm nearly flew off at the unexpected movement. He instantly calmed when he saw who had caused his momentary panic.

"Oh," he said with a relieved smile. The tension in his body immediately loosened. "Keith, you startled me. I wasn't expecting you."

"I know," Keith smirked. "Kind of the point." He raised a brow. "Did you know that your hair fluffs up a bit when you're scared? It's _adorable."_

Lotor flushed and smoothed his hair in indignation. "It does _not--"_ His eyes drifted off for a moment. "What is that?"

"Oh, this?" He lifted the stuffed animal out of its bag. "It's a gift for you." He handed it over to Lotor, who observed it curiously. "I thought, maybe... Talking doesn't really help you come down from your worse attacks, comfort does." Realization crossed Lotor's features as he ran his hand down the lioness' back. "So I thought that if I'm not around to help, or can't get through to you..." He shrugged and gestured to the stuffed animal. "That she might help you through it. I know it's not the most conventional idea, but-"

Lotor chuckled, a smile blooming on his face. "Vhen," he said softly. "We are not the most conventional pair. Even so, I adore it- and you- but I... wasn't asking about this." He pointed to what he had been really looking at- a small silver machine with a bunch of wires and four microphones. A holographic sign hung over it.

'Used Karaoke Machine- 85% off!'

It would be an absolutely _ridiculous_ thing to consider buying. The team needed to stay focused on their mission, not waste too much time on so many frivolous things. Getting it would be a waste of money. Using it with the team would be a waste of time.

...is what he would have thought a few months ago.

Now? They needed all the fun they could squeeze out of their lives.

Keith smiled. "Why not," he said. "Let's get it."

Lotor looked to him proudly. "I like the way you think."

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to leave a comment! validation of my work motivates me!  
> my tumblr: squishy--squish


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